Mounting for coolant tubes



Dec. 10, 1946. A. KALITINSKY MOUNTING FOR COOLANT TUBES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed March 27, 1945 g INVENTOR ANDREW KALrrmsKY ATTORNEY Dec. 10, 1946.A. KALITINSKY MOUNTING FOR COOLANT TUBES Filed March 27, 1945 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ANDREW KALrrmKY I ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 10,1946 omrso smss PATENT omen ,ivloommo FOR 000mm 'ronris v Applicationlust-oil 2t, 1945. Serial N 585,163

This invention relates to e. mounting ior tubes.

such as coolant tubes. extending between the sta tiopcry parts of e.ireepiston unit roosting piston In circulating coolorit through thepiston es= sembly, the connection from the stationary cylin dots to thepiston has been made by telescoping tubes through whiclicoolsxit mightbe pumped into and out of the piston assembly, as shown, for example, inthe copendihg Ledwith applicatlon, Seriol No. 585.3%, died March recs;The tight fit of the tubes to minimize leakage has necessitated precisealignment of the stationary and reciprocating tubes in order to preventthe tubes from binding during opemtioi'iof the unit. The differentthermal expansions of the several parts of the unit during the operationmay, however, cause enough misalignment to cause bind= ing or excessivewear on the tubes. Aieeture of this invention is on. orrehgemeht bywhich the coolant tubes may have appreciable movement in the port orparts in which they are mounted to correct any misalignment.

In making the coolant tube mounting'sufliciehtly flexible to allow forlateral movement of the tube, possibilities for leakage of the coolantespecially if the coolant is circulating under Dressure, are greatlyincreased. One feature of this invention is a. connection for thestationary end of the tube which will have a. tight connection with thetube within the range' of lateral movement permitted by the mounting ofthe tube.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specification andclaims, and from the accompanying drawings which illustrate anembodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a. sectional view through the free-piston unit. I

Fig. 2 is a sectional view in another plane showing a mounting for thecoolant tube.

The unit shown includes an engine cylinder W having reciprocatingpistons l2 and Hi to which compressor pistons l6 and E8 in cylinders 20and 22 are integrally connected. Sleeves 24 and 26 attached to thecompressor pistons complete the reciprocating piston assembly. Thesleeves in combination with stationary pistons 28 and 30 form air springcylinders.

The pistons are moved apart by the burning'of fuel injected into enginecylinder Id through one or more nozzles 32. Air compressed in the airspring cylinders on the power stroke returns the piston assembly. Thepistons are always maintained at equal distances from the center of theengine cylinder by a linkage which may include racks extending from thepiston assemblies and meshing with a pinion, not shown.

Intake manifold 42, which extends around the compressor and enginecylinders, conducts air to intake valves M in the heads of thecompressor and the reels e @loims. loll. its-r31 cylinders, throughwhich air automatically enters st opposite ends of the cylinders.Compressed sir leaves the cylinders through discharge valves to, elso atopposite ends oi the compressor cylinders and passes into s. centerscavenge chamber so and end chambers and These chemise-arc may beconnected by c. scavenge manifold, not shown.

Compressed gas from the scavenge chambers enters engine ports and litwhich are uhoov= ered by pistons 52 and i at the end of the powerstroke, thereby permitting air to be blown through the engine cylinder.Gas in the engine cylinders is discharged through exhaust ports 58 intoe haust manifold As shown in Fig. 2, coolant is circulated through thepiston by means of parallel tubes bit odd to, Fig. 2, the ends oi whichmay-be supported by stationory ports of the unit, as for example. thebracket to which may be integral with the end cap 68 and by thebrocketflil which may form a part of the well 72, Fig. 1, of the centralscavenge member.

The tubes 82 and 6t fit within tubes 76 and 76 mounted in the compressorpiston. Seals i8 and 80 in the inner and outer heads. 82 and 84 of thecompressor cylinder prevent leakage of air from the cylinder past thetubes. Tubes it and 16 are long enough, as shown, so that they arealways in contact with the seals.

The tube 64 may have a reduced portion 85 extending from a pointadjacent the inner cylinder head 82 to a. point midway of the cylinderso that coolant within tube 61 may pass through openings 86 in the tubeand thence into the passage 88 in the piston. Coolant from passage 88flows through the. compressor piston and through a. chamber, not shown,in theengine piston and is discharged through a. passage 90 also in thecompressor piston. The outlet tube 82 hes a. reduced portion 92 whichcommunicates with the passage 90 during the outer half of the pistonreciprocation. Openings t6 provide for a flow of coolant into the tube82. The above structure is described in the Ledwith application, SerialNo. 585,160, above referred to, and is not; in itself, a. feature ofthis invention.

In accordance with this invention, the coolant tube is mounted in such away that it is free to is provided between the disk ion and the tube topermit. the tube to move laterally and the shoulder as terminates at aso that a limited amount'oi lateral the tube may be available. A ringilil may be p aced on the flange 98 and the shoulder 98 to eliminate endplay in the tube.

To prevent coolant from leaking tube, the end oi the tube is connectedto a paspoint spaced irom the tube movement for.

around the sage I08 inthe' housing 102 by a flexible connection orsealing device which includes a sleeve I" having on its inner surfacearesilient seal lill which engages with the outer surface oi the tube andis preferably arranged so that .pressure acting on the seal willincrease the sealing action. Adjacent the outer endoi the sleeve I00,the housing J02 has a flexible seal. 2 iormed oi a ring or rubber or asimilar material having a ring 6 which surrounds and is radially spacedfrom the sleeve. The inner end oi tube 12 which has a plug Ill may besupported by a resilient gasket I20 which.

will allow a limited lateral movement tor the tube. The seals 18 and 80,which are-located in the cylinder heads 82 and ll and extend around andengage the tube ll. also have a limited amount oi lateral movement topermit the lateral movement oi tube 62 to take place. Thus, the tube 62will adjust itseli to any misalign- 4 tube to minimize leakage oi thefluid past said cooperating means.

3. In a tree-piston unit, an engine cylinder and piston, a compressorcylinder and piston, said pistons being connected to move as a unit, atube mounted on 'and extending from one oi said pis-- tons, a stationarytube telescoping with said flrst tube, said tubes providing a connectionfor the circulation oi coolant through the piston, a sup-. portingstructure for said tube having a coolant passage therein, said structureand stationary tube iorming a cooperating means for supporting the tubein such a manner as to provide a limited amount of lateral movement iorthe tube. and

a flexible connection between the passage and the end oi the tube. i

4. In a tree-piston unit, .an engine'cylinder and piston, a compressorcylinder and piston, said pistons being connected to 'move as a unit, atube mounted on and extending from one oi said pistons. a stationarytube teiesco ing with said first tube, said tube providing a for thecirculation of coolant through'thc piston, a supporting structure iorsaid tube having a coolant passage therein; said structure andstationary tube forming a cooperating means ment oi the parts withoutcausing any leakage- With this arrangement,vthe mounting ior the tubemay be sufliciently free to permit the desired lateral movement oi thetube in compensating irom misalignment and at the same time the sleeve i8 in conjunction with the seals no and H2 pr ides a substantiallyliquid-tight connec-' tion between the passage I06 and the tube so thatways without departure from its'spirit as defined by the followingclaims.

I claim:

I. In a tree-piston unit, an engine cylinder and' piston, a compressorcylinder and piston, said pistons being connected to move as a unit, atube mounted on and extending irom one oi said pistons, a stationarytube telescoping with said first tube. said tubes providing a connectionfor the for supporting the tube in such a manner as to provide alimitedamount oi lateral movement tor the tube, and-a flexibleconnectionbetween the passage and the end' oi the tube. said connectionincluding a sleeve, and a seal between the ends oi the sleeve and thetube and passage respectively.

5. In a iree-piston unit, an engine cylinder and piston, a compressorcylinder and piston, said pistons being connected to move as a unit, atube mounted on and extending from one oi said pistons, a stationarytube telescoping with said ilrst tube, said tube providing a .connectionior the circulation of coolant through the piston, a supportingstructure tor-said tube having a coolant passagetherein, s'aid structureand stationary tube iorming a cooperating means ior supporting 'thetubein such'a manner as to provide a limited amount oi lateral movementtor the tube, V and a flexible connection between the passage.

and the end of the tube, said connection including a sleeve, a sealingring at one end engaging circulation of coolant through the piston, anda. 65

supporting structure for said tube having a passage therein, saidstructure and stationary tube having cooperating means for supportingthe tube in such a manner as to provide a limited amount.

circulation oicoolant through the piston, and a supporting structure forsaid tube havinga passage therein for coolant, said structure andstationary tube having cooperating means for supporting thetube in sucha-inanner as to provide a limited amount oi lateral movement 'ior thetube, and a sealing'device on the end oi the 4 in the circulation ofcoolant through thepiston, a supporting structure ior said tube having acoolant passage therein, said structure and stationary tube forming acooperating means ior supporting the tube in such a manner as to providea limited amount of lateral movement for the' tube. and a flexibleconnection between the passage and the endoi the tube. saidconnectionincluding a sleeve, a sealing ring at one end engaging'with the tube,and a second sealing ring engaging with the opposite end of said sleeve,said sealing rings being constructed and ar-- ranged to permit arelative movement between the tube and the passage without causingleakage pasttheseals.

nnection

